Method and apparatus for providing an access to a tethering service via an endpoint device

ABSTRACT

A method and non-transitory computer readable medium for providing an access to a tethering service via an endpoint device are disclosed. For example, the method detects an attempt to access a non-network monitored service at an endpoint device, determines whether the endpoint device is authorized to access the non-network monitored service by sending a query to a service provider network, and provides an access to the non-network monitored service if the endpoint is authorized.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/296,993, filed Nov. 15, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,060,272, which isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to entitlement control and,more particularly, to a method and apparatus for entitlement control viaan endpoint device.

BACKGROUND

Mobile devices obtain certain pre-defined information from acommunication network for the purpose of being authenticated and beallowed to interact with the communication network, based on varioustelecommunication industry standards. Notably, these authenticationsinitiated by the network are for network monitored services such asvoice communications, messaging and basic data access. Thus, onceauthenticated the mobile device may utilize basic functions like voicecommunications, messaging and basic data access, as noted above.

Some authentications for other types of services are authorized bypushing information over the air. For example, the network may pushentitlement information continuously over the air to the mobile device.However, pushing information over the air suffers from drawbacks such asnot being reliable, timely and efficient.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method andnon-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing anentitlement control via an endpoint device. For example, the methoddetects an attempt to access a non-network monitored service at anendpoint device, determines whether the endpoint device is authorized toaccess the non-network monitored service by sending a query to a serviceprovider network, and provides an access to the non-network monitoredservice if the endpoint is authorized.

The present disclosure also provides a second embodiment of a method forproviding an entitlement control via an endpoint device. For example,the method receives a request for authorization to access a non-networkmonitored service from an endpoint device via a query, determineswhether a match to the query is found in a subscriber informationdatabase, and if the match is found for the query in the subscriberinformation database, then sends an authorization to the endpoint deviceto access the non-network monitored service.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teaching of the present disclosure can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a communications network of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example flowchart of one embodiment of a methodfor providing entitlement control via an endpoint device;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example flowchart of a second embodiment of amethod for providing entitlement control via an endpoint device; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a high-level block diagram of a general-purposecomputer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure broadly discloses a method and non-transitorycomputer readable medium for providing entitlement control via anendpoint device. As noted above, most services may be monitored,authenticated and tracked by a service provider network, such as voicecommunications, messaging communications and basic data access.

However, some services provided to an endpoint device can be verydifficult to monitor and track by the service provider network. Thesetypes of services may be referred to herein as “non-network monitoredservices.” Some examples of non-network monitored services may includetethering services, applications or features of an application that areexecuted entirely by the endpoint device, such as for example, a videogame or a multiplayer feature of the video game, and the like. In otherwords, these non-network monitored services do not rely upon, orrequire, a server in the network for operation. For example, withrespect to tethering, a second endpoint device may connect to a firstendpoint device directly, while the first endpoint device iscommunicating with the network. In the tethering arrangement, theservice provider network has a very difficult time knowing that the databeing accessed by the first endpoint device is actually beingtransferred to a second endpoint device that is tethered to the firstendpoint device. Thus, in the tethering arrangement, the second endpointdevice is actually using the first endpoint device's service with theservice provider network. In other words, the first endpoint device isable to provide service to other second endpoint devices, therebyincreasing the operating cost to the service provider network withoutthe benefit of collecting a service fee from the first endpoint device,e.g., providing tethering service to other endpoints.

In another example, an endpoint device may have downloaded a video gameonto its memory. The video game may include a feature, such as forexample, a multiplayer feature to play with another endpoint device overa personal area network, such as Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi network.Currently, the service provider would have no way to authorize orcontrol the use of the multiplayer feature as the video game is anapplication running entirely on both of the endpoint devices over apersonal area network that does not interact with the service providernetwork.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method andnon-transitory computer readable medium for providing entitlementcontrol via an endpoint device that would allow the service providernetwork to leverage the endpoint device as a proxy for authorization andgreater control for the non-network monitored services. As a result, theservice provider network may maintain control over the non-networkmonitored services and capitalize on these types of services.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting one example of a communicationsnetwork 100. The communications network 100 may include an Internetprotocol (IP) core network 102. The IP network 102 may be operated by aservice provider.

In one embodiment, the IP network 102 may comprise a core network, anaccess network or any other type of communication network. In oneembodiment, the IP network 102 may be any type of IP network such as anInternet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, anasynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, a wireless network, a cellularnetwork, a long term evolution (LTE) network, and the like, related tothe current disclosure. It should be noted that an IP network is broadlydefined as a network that uses Internet Protocol to exchange datapackets. Additional exemplary Internet Protocol (IP) networks includeVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks, Service over InternetProtocol (SoIP) networks, and the like. The present disclosure is notlimited to any particular network architecture.

In one embodiment, the IP network 102 may comprise a proxy server 104and a database 108. The proxy server 104 may also include a servicelayer authorization (SLA) module 106.

In one embodiment, the database 108 may be a subscriber or networkinformation database that includes information about subscribers of theIP network. For example, the database 108 may store information aboutwhat types of services the subscriber is authorized to access, includingnon-network monitored services, such as for example, tethering or peerto peer applications, such as for example, gaming applications, somevideo calling, softphone calling, some messaging, or any other type ofservice that the network may not be able to detect, and the like.

In one embodiment, the services stored in the database 108 may beassociated with a unique universal resource locator (URL). As will bediscussed below, an entitlement request may be authorized based uponwhether a URL for a particular service in the entitlement requestmatches a URL for one of the services that a subscriber is authorized toaccess.

In one embodiment, the database 108 may be configured with thesubscriber information from one or more sources 110 and 112. Forexample, the source 110 may be one or more business systems (e.g., aprovisioning system, a billing system, a third party service providersystem, and the like) and the source 112 may be other types of varioussources, including subscriber provided information, e.g., providedduring a service sign-up process via website operated by the serviceprovider and the like.

In one embodiment, one or more endpoint devices 114 and 120 may be incommunication with the IP network 102. In one embodiment, the endpointdevices 114 and 120 may be any type of endpoint device associated with amobile device service. In other words, the endpoint device 114 and 120may include cellular telephones, smart phones, tablet computers, laptopcomputers, net book computers, and the like or non-mobile devicesexecuting mobile device service applications, such as for example,desktop computers with mobile device service applications, and the like.

In one embodiment, the endpoint device 114 may include an SLA module 116and an application (APP) module 118. The endpoint device 120 may alsoinclude an SLA module 122 and an application (APP) module 124. It shouldbe noted that the SLA modules 116 and 122 and the application modules118 and 124 may all be embodied as hardware. For example, they may becomputer program instructions stored in a physical memory and executedby a processor. In one embodiment, the application module 124 mayinclude computer readable instructions to execute various non-networkmonitored services, such as for example, tethering services, gamingservices and the like. Although only two endpoint devices 114 and 120are illustrated in FIG. 1, any number of endpoint devices may bedeployed.

As discussed above, some services may not be monitored by the serviceprovider network, e.g., the IP network 102. As illustrated in FIG. 1,the endpoint device 120 may tether to the endpoint device 114 to gainaccess to data over the IP network 102. Notably, the endpoint device 120is not a subscriber to any services provided by the IP network 102.

In one embodiment, the endpoint device 120 may tether to the endpointdevice 114 via a physical connection over a physical interface as shownby connection 126 or a wireless connection via a personal area network(PAN) or Wi-Fi connection as illustrated by cloud 128. In oneembodiment, the cloud 128 may represent any other network other than theIP network 102 of the service provider. Any communication over theconnection (physical or wireless) 126 or within the cloud 128 cannot bemonitored by the IP network 102. As a result, currently the serviceprovider of the IP network 102 has no control over any services executedby the endpoint device 114 over the connection 126 or within the cloud128.

Embodiments of the present disclosure resolve this issue by leveragingthe endpoint device 114 to provide an entitlement control on behalf ofthe IP network 102 of the service provider. In one embodiment, theendpoint device 114 may be configured with the SLA module 116.

The SLA module 116 may be programmed to detect when the endpoint device114 attempts to access a non-network monitored service, e.g., executingan application in the application module 118. In one embodiment, thedetection may be based upon simply detecting the application beingexecuted or based upon detection of an attempt to communicate over aparticular interface using a particular application, e.g., a non-networkmonitored service application. For example, the SLA module 116 maydetect if the endpoint device 120 is trying to communicate with theendpoint device 114 using a tethering service application over auniversal serial bus (USB) connection or over a Bluetooth communicationinterface in the cloud 128, and the like.

When the attempt by the endpoint device 120 is detected by the SLAmodule 116, the SLA module 116 may send an entitlement request to theproxy server 104 that is also configured with an SLA module 106. Theentitlement request may be sent using any type of secure protocol.

In one embodiment, the entitlement request may be made via a hypertexttransfer protocol (HTTP) request message. The HTTP request message mayinclude a unique URL associated with the non-network monitored servicethat the endpoint device 114 is trying to access. It should be notedthat although one example uses HTTP, any similar type of protocol may beused within the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, thepresent disclosure is not only limited to using HTTP.

In one embodiment, each non-network monitored service may be associatedwith a unique URL. The subscriber may subscribe with the serviceprovider to have access to one or more of the non-network monitoredservices. This subscription information may be stored in the database108 for each subscriber of the service provider's IP network 102. Forexample, for each subscriber, a list of URLs may be included for each ofthe services the subscriber has authorization to access.

Referring back to the above example, assume the subscriber of theendpoint device 114 has subscribed to a tethering service. The URL forthe tethering service may be stored under the information associatedwith the subscriber of the endpoint device 114. As a result, when theendpoint device 114 detects an attempt to access a tethering service,the SLA 116 may send an entitlement request for the tethering service tothe proxy server 104. In one embodiment, the entitlement request may bean HTTP request message including the URL for the tethering service. TheSLA module 106 may decipher the HTTP request message with the URL and,in turn, instructs the proxy server 104 to check the database 108 todetermine if a matching URL is found under the subscriber's information.

If a match is found, the proxy server 104 may return an HTTPauthorization message back to the endpoint device 114. For example, theHTTP message may be an HTTP 200 OK message. If no match is found, theproxy server 104 may return an HTTP 400 error message and the endpointdevice 114 may be denied access to the non-network monitored service.

It should be noted that in one embodiment, the present disclosureutilizes the entitlement query on a per use basis. As a result,bandwidth is saved as information is only sent back and forth whenneeded unlike over the air methods that constantly push information toendpoint devices. As a result, the present disclosure also provides amore efficient method for entitlement control via an endpoint device.

It should be noted that the network 100 has been simplified. Forexample, the network 100 may include other network elements (not shown)such as border elements, routers, switches, call control elements,policy servers, security devices, application servers, firewalls,gateways, a content distribution network (CDN) and the like.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method 200 for providing entitlementcontrol via an endpoint device. In one embodiment, the method 200 may beperformed by the endpoint device 114 or a general purpose computingdevice or computer as illustrated in FIG. 4 and discussed below.

The method 200 begins at step 202. At step 204, the method 200 detectsan attempt to access a non-network monitored service. For example, anSLA module within an endpoint device may detect when the endpoint deviceis attempting to access a non-network monitored service. In oneembodiment, the detection may be based upon simply detecting theapplication being executed or based upon detection of an attempt tocommunicate over a particular interface. For example, the endpointdevice is detected as trying to communicate with another endpoint deviceusing a tethering service application over a USB connection or over aBluetooth communication interface, and the like.

At step 206, the method 200 determines whether the endpoint device isauthorized to access the non-network monitored service via anentitlement query to a service provider network. In one embodiment, theentitlement request may be made via an HTTP request message. The HTTPrequest message may include a unique URL associated with the non-networkmonitored service that the endpoint device is trying to access.

In one embodiment, each non-network monitored service is associated witha unique URL. The subscriber may subscribe with the service provider tohave access to one or more of the non-network monitored services. Thissubscription information is stored in a database, e.g., the database108, for each subscriber of the service provider's network, e.g., the IPnetwork 102. For example, for each subscriber, a list of URLs isincluded for the services the subscriber has authorization to access. Inone embodiment, a proxy server, e.g., the proxy server 104, may attemptto find a URL for an authorized service for the subscriber in thedatabase that matches the URL in the HTTP request message.

In one embodiment, the entitlement query may also check to see if otherconditions are met to determine if the endpoint is authorized to accessthe non-network monitored service. For example, additional conditionsfor authorization may include time of day, number of uses, and the like.

At step 208, the method 200 provides access to the non-network monitoredservice if the endpoint is authorized. For example, if a match to theURL in the HTTP request message is found in the database for theauthorized services for the subscriber, then an HTTP authorizationmessage from a proxy server, e.g., the proxy server 104, is received bythe endpoint device. For example, the HTTP message may be an HTTP 200 OKmessage. If no match is found, then an HTTP 400 error message from aproxy server, e.g., the proxy server 104, may be received by theendpoint device and the endpoint device is denied access to thenon-network monitored service.

In one embodiment, by leveraging the endpoint device to provideentitlement control for non-network monitored services, the serviceprovider may now capitalize on the non-network monitored services eachtime the non-network monitored services are accessed and provide agreater control over these non-network monitored services. For example,once a subscriber signed up on a monthly basis for a tethering service,the service provider would have a very difficult time knowing when theendpoint is using the tethering service or how many endpoints are usingthe tethering service at any given time. However, using embodiments ofthe present disclosure, the service provider may now have new methods tocapitalize on non-network monitored services, such as for example,charging on a per use basis, charging for access to the non-networkmonitored service by unregistered endpoint devices, charging for accessto the non-network monitored service when there is a greater number ofendpoint devices than previously allowed, e.g., greater than N number oftethered endpoint devices, where N was previously defined by the serviceprovider, and the like.

For example, the service provider may charge on a monthly basis fortethering, but then charge on a per use basis for endpoint devices thatare not registered with the subscriber. To illustrate, when the endpointdevice sends the entitlement request, the entitlement request may alsoinclude what devices are trying to access the service associated withthe URL. As a result, if a friend of the subscriber is attempting totether to the subscriber's endpoint device, the service provider wouldbe notified via the entitlement request (e.g., by including a mediaaccess control (MAC) identification address of the endpoint device). Asa result, the service provider may charge the subscriber an additionalfee for tethering to endpoint devices that are not previously registeredwith the subscriber.

In addition, the additional level of control allows the service providerto limit which endpoint devices and how many endpoint devices at a giventime period may access the non-network monitored service. The method 200then proceeds to step 210, where the method 200 ends.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart for a second embodiment of a method 300for providing an entitlement control via an endpoint device. In oneembodiment, the method 300 may be performed by the proxy server 104 or ageneral purpose computing device or computer as illustrated in FIG. 4and discussed below.

The method 300 begins at step 302. At step 304, the method 300 receivesa request for authorization to access a non-network monitored servicefrom an endpoint device via an entitlement query. For example, an SLAmodule within an endpoint device may detect when the endpoint device isattempting to access a non-network monitored service. In one embodiment,the detection may be based upon simply detecting the application beingexecuted or based upon detection of an attempt to communicate over aparticular interface. For example, the endpoint device is detected astrying to communicate with another endpoint device using a tetheringservice application over a USB connection or over a Bluetoothcommunication interface, and the like.

Once the attempt to access the non-network monitored service isdetected, the network may receive a request for authorization to accessthe non-network monitored service, e.g., a tethering service or a gamingapplication. In one embodiment, the request may be received by a proxyserver, e.g., the proxy server 104. In one embodiment, the entitlementrequest is made via an HTTP request message.

At step 306, the method 300 determines whether a match to theentitlement query is found in a subscriber information database. Asnoted above, the entitlement request is made via an HTTP requestmessage. In one embodiment, the HTTP request message may include aunique URL associated with the non-network monitored service that theendpoint device is trying to access.

In one embodiment, each non-network monitored service is associated witha unique URL. The subscriber may subscribe with the service provider tohave access to one or more of the non-network monitored services. Thissubscription information is stored in a database, e.g., the database108, for each subscriber of the service provider's network, e.g., the IPnetwork 102. For example, for each subscriber, a list of URLs isincluded for the services that the subscriber has authorization toaccess. In one embodiment, a proxy server, e.g., the proxy server 104,may attempt to find a URL for an authorized service for the subscriberin the database that matches the URL in the HTTP request message.

In one embodiment, the entitlement query may also check to see if otherconditions are matched to determine if the endpoint is authorized toaccess the non-network monitored service. For example, additionalconditions for authorization may include time of day, number of uses,and the like.

At step 308, if a match is found to the entitlement query in thesubscriber information database, then an authorization is sent to theendpoint device to access the non-network monitored service. Forexample, if a match to the URL in the HTTP request message is found inthe database for the authorized service for the subscriber, a proxyserver, e.g., the proxy server 104, will send an HTTP authorizationmessage back to the endpoint device. For example, the HTTP message is anHTTP 200 OK message.

Alternatively, if no match is found, the proxy server will send a HTTP400 error message and the endpoint device is denied access to thenon-network monitored service. It should be noted that the denial ofservice actually occurs at the endpoint device. In other words, the SLAon the endpoint device will cause the execution of the non-networkmonitored service to be denied, thereby relieving the network serviceprovider of the task of denying the non-network monitored service. Forexample, the endpoint device may simply disallow another endpoint devicefrom tethering to the endpoint device.

In one embodiment, by leveraging the endpoint device to provideentitlement control for non-network monitored services, the serviceprovider will now be able to capitalize on the non-network monitoredservices each time the non-network monitored services are accessed andprovide a greater control over these non-network monitored services. Forexample, once a subscriber signed up on a monthly basis for a tetheringservice, the service provider would have a very difficult time knowingwhen the endpoint is using the tethering service or how many endpointsare using the tethering service at any given time. However, usingembodiments of the present disclosure, the service provider will havenew ways to capitalize on non-network monitored services, such as forexample, charging on a per use basis, charging for access to thenon-network monitored service by unregistered endpoint devices, chargingfor access to the non-network monitored service when there is a greaternumber of endpoint devices than previously allowed, e.g., greater than Nnumber of tethered endpoint devices, where N was previously defined bythe service provider, and the like.

For example, the service provider may charge on a monthly basis fortethering, but then charge on a per use basis for endpoint devices thatare not registered with the subscriber. To illustrate, when the endpointdevice sends the entitlement request, the entitlement request may alsoinclude what devices are trying to access the service associated withthe URL. As a result, if a friend of the subscriber is attempting totether to the subscriber's endpoint device, the service provider wouldbe notified via the entitlement request (e.g., by including a MACidentification address of the endpoint device). As a result, the serviceprovider may charge the subscriber an additional fee for tethering toendpoint devices that are not registered with the subscriber, i.e., theMAC identification address is not a previously registered MACidentification address of an endpoint of the subscriber.

In addition, the additional level of control allows the service providerto limit which endpoint devices and how many endpoint devices at a giventime period may access the non-network monitored service. The method 300then proceeds to step 310, where the method 300 ends.

It should be noted that although not explicitly specified, one or moresteps of the method 200 and 300 described above may include a storing,displaying and/or outputting step as required for a particularapplication. In other words, any data, records, fields, and/orintermediate results discussed in the methods can be stored, displayed,and/or outputted to another device as required for a particularapplication. Furthermore, steps or blocks in FIGS. 2 and 3 that recite adetermining operation, or involve a decision, do not necessarily requirethat both branches of the determining operation be practiced. In otherwords, one of the branches of the determining operation can be deemed asan optional step.

FIG. 4 depicts a high-level block diagram of a general-purpose computingdevice or computer suitable for use in performing the functionsdescribed herein. As depicted in FIG. 4, the system 400 comprises ahardware processor element 402 (e.g., a CPU), a memory 404, e.g., randomaccess memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), a module 405 forproviding entitlement control, and various input/output devices 406(e.g., storage devices, including but not limited to, a tape drive, afloppy drive, a hard disk drive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, atransmitter, a speaker, a display, a speech synthesizer, an output port,and a user input device (such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and thelike)).

It should be noted that the present disclosure can be implemented insoftware and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., usingapplication specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purposecomputer or any other hardware equivalents, e.g., computer readableinstructions pertaining to the method(s) discussed above can be used toconfigure a hardware processor to perform the steps of the abovedisclosed method(s). In one embodiment, the present module or process405 for providing entitlement control can be loaded into memory 404 andexecuted by hardware processor 402 to implement the functions asdiscussed above. As such, the present module or process 405 forproviding entitlement control (including associated data structures) ofthe present disclosure can be stored on a non-transitory (physical andtangible) computer readable storage medium, e.g., RAM memory, magneticor optical drive or diskette and the like.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example only, and notlimitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment shouldnot be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing an access to a tetheringservice, the method comprising: detecting an attempt to access thetethering service at a first endpoint device where a second endpointdevice connects to the first endpoint device while the first endpointdevice is communicating with a service provider network, where data thatis accessed by the first endpoint device via the service providernetwork is transferred to the second endpoint device; determining, bythe first endpoint device, whether the first endpoint device isauthorized to access the tethering service by: sending a query to aserver in the service provider network, wherein the query comprises ahyper text transfer protocol message that comprises a unique identifierassociated with the tethering service, wherein the unique identifiercomprises a universal resource locator that uniquely identifies thetethering service from among a plurality of non-network monitoredservices, wherein the non-network monitored services comprise servicesthat do not require the server in the service provider network foroperation; and receiving from the server in the service providernetwork, an authorization message to access the tethering service; andproviding, by the first endpoint device, the access to the tetheringservice when the first endpoint device receives the authorizationmessage.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint devicecomprises an endpoint associated with a mobile device service.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting an attemptto transmit data over a physical interface.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein the physical interface comprises a universal serial businterface.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the physical interfacecomprises a Bluetooth communication interface.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the detecting comprise detecting an attempt to transmit dataover a network other than the service provider network.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the detecting comprise detecting an attempt to executean application.
 8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storinginstructions which, when executed by a processor of a first endpointdevice, cause the processor to perform operations for providing anaccess to a tethering service, the operations comprising: detecting anattempt to access the tethering service at the first endpoint devicewhere a second endpoint device connects to the first endpoint devicewhile the first endpoint device is communicating with a service providernetwork, where data that is accessed by the first endpoint device viathe service provider network is transferred to the second endpointdevice; determining whether the first endpoint device is authorized toaccess the tethering service by: sending a query to a server in theservice provider network, wherein the query comprises a hyper texttransfer protocol message that comprises a unique identifier associatedwith the tethering service, wherein the unique identifier comprises auniversal resource locator that uniquely identifies the tetheringservice from among a plurality of non-network monitored services,wherein the non-network monitored services comprise services that do notrequire the server in the service provider network for operation; andreceiving from the server in the server provider network, anauthorization message to access the tethering service; and providing theaccess to the tethering service when the first endpoint device receivesthe authorization message.
 9. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium of claim 8, wherein the first endpoint device comprises anendpoint associated with a mobile device service.
 10. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting comprisesdetecting an attempt to transmit data over a physical interface.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein thephysical interface comprises a universal serial bus interface.
 12. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein thephysical interface comprises a Bluetooth communication interface. 13.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein thedetecting comprise detecting an attempt to transmit data over a networkother than the service provider network.
 14. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting comprisedetecting an attempt to execute an application.
 15. An apparatus forproviding an access to a tethering service, comprising: a processor of afirst endpoint device; and a computer-readable medium storing aplurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causethe processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:detecting an attempt to access the tethering service at the firstendpoint device where a second endpoint device connects to the firstendpoint device while the first endpoint device is communicating with aservice provider network, where data that is accessed by the firstendpoint device via the service provider network is transferred to thesecond endpoint device; determining whether the first endpoint device isauthorized to access the tethering service by: sending a query to aserver in the service provider network, wherein the query comprises ahyper text transfer protocol message that comprises a unique identifierassociated with the tethering service, wherein the unique identifiercomprises a universal resource locator that uniquely identifies thetethering service from among a plurality of non-network monitoredservices, wherein the non-network monitored services comprise servicesthat do not require the server in the service provider network foroperation; and receiving from the server in the service provider networkan authorization message to access the tethering service; and providingthe access to the tethering service when the first endpoint devicereceives the authorization message.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the first endpoint device comprises an endpoint associated witha mobile device service.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein thedetecting comprises detecting an attempt to transmit data over aphysical interface.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the physicalinterface comprises a universal serial bus interface.
 19. The apparatusof claim 17, wherein the physical interface comprises a Bluetoothcommunication interface.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein thedetecting comprise detecting an attempt to transmit data over a networkother than the service provider network.